Books-A-Million
reviews and complaints

The clerk from Books-A-Million flat out lied to me about the magazine subscription. I asked her if I was going to be charged anything once the trial expires, she said:
"No payments at all and if you dont like the magazine, you dont have to do anything at all. It will automatically cancel."

How naive I was.
I look at my credit card, and I have over $65 worth of subscription fees months later.

I was absolutely livid.
I immediately called whoever I can, and after spending hours, was able to cancel the subscriptions. Not sure if I'll receive a refund, but I will not be charged anymore by these scammers.

What was worse is that they give your bank account infos and numbers so they can charge you. Despicable.

Lost a customer forever. I thought these shady business practices are done with.

From now on, Its all Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

My daughter received a dvd from Booksamillion from her Aunt. The day before Christmas(same day she received the gifts) we took them back along with a few others she had received that she didn't want. I told the cashier I didn't have a receipt for the dvd but did for the other things. She said no problem. Rang us up and then proceeded to make a big production when I asked for cash back instead of it going back on my mothers card. Hollered for a manager for a 304, cashier beside her said REALLY a 304? Manager arrived and stated a 304? I had to look back to see what happened. I don't know what a 304 is...as far as I am concerned I was tagged as a shoplifter, embarrassed and humiliated in front of a line of customers for merely trying to make a return. The she shoved the unopened dvd back to me and said can't help you with this one. Gave me a dirty look and hollered Next! I will never shop there again. Have returned all gifts for my kids bought there and will rebuy elsewhere. Will never buy another thing there nor will my mother or sister after this.

I took a friend to Books a Million recently. I could not find one computer kiosk to help her find the books she was wanted. After wandering around for over 15 minutes (no clerks to help us) we finally stumbled across one book for her. I decided to buy a world map puzzle - bad decision. When we checked, my friend's clerk was helpful, assisting her with her list. My clerk however, flunked business manners. I was asked if I wanted some kind of membership card. I said no and was countered with a lengthy description of how the card could be used for on line shopping, etc. I again said no because I do not shop on line & because I prefer Barnes & Noble. I got more talk about the pros of online shopping & a rant against Barnes & Noble. The clerk also commented that my puzzle would soon be outdated due to the way countries are constantly changing, which made me start to wonder if I was making a smart purchase. The clerk then suggested I use my friends membership card, then said it couldn't be done, then got two other employees involved. The last straw was when I was told I would have to wait a few minutes before using my friends card because she had just renewed it. At this point my friend & I were both getting impatient so I told the clerk the puzzle wasn't worth the hassle & left. I will not be going back to this store & have shared my story with several of my avid book friends.

A family member purchased a New King James Version Bible from our local Books A Million store. He discovered that he had purchased the wrong version (should have been the original King James Version). When he tried to exchange it, he was refused because he did not have the receipt. He purchased a second Bible, the correct KJV, and used it as gift. I tried to make the return of the wrong book. The store manager explained that the policy is not to refund or exchange without a receipt or some way to trace the transaction. The Bible was still in the original packaging, with the ISBN and their tracking data. Other retailers honor gift returns without receipt, and BAM could also. Customer Service and Satisfaction a joke at BAM. Will not do further business with Books A Million.

My teenage daughter bought a book based on the blub inside the cover (50 Shades of Gray). Of course when I saw it, I immediately took it back to the bookstore. She did not keep receipt, so they were not willing to exchange for another. This is crazy. If books are given as gifts when you already have or so not like, what do you do?, give it way? I then called customer service and they were not any help. I had been a bam member for 3 years, but will no longer shop at their store. No wonder their other store had to close!
On another note, please buy your books at Barnes and Noble as they have a fair return policy. They indicated that they base returns without receipt on a case by case basis.

My son and I stood behind a women at what appeared to be a check out counter for about 3 minutes. We were RIGHT behind this lady. The cashier was looking something up for her I guess, not sure what they were doing. When the lady left. The cashier ignores us standing there goes to ANOTHER cash register and asks a woman, May I help you? What? I said well, I guess we will get behind her. The other customer, not the cashier, says "Oh", I think she was here before we were. The cashier never apologizes. I talked with a manager, but got "I am sorry that happened" Yeah whatever! Lost my business. There is no excuse to be rude to customers whatever her reason was, still not sure!

A friend purchased DVD season 1 and 2 of Weeds for me for my birthday. Unfortunatley I already purchased season 1 and 2. I took both seasons to the Books a Million where it was purchased, new in the package and with a books a million sticker on the outside (no receipt though), and asked to swap the seasons out for seasons 3 and 4. The manager refused because I didnt have a receipt. Really what is wrong with swapping out an item when it is new in the package, obviously came from BAM and you are requesting to swap an item for an item that is the exact same price? BAM would not have lost any funds by swapping the product for me. The only thing they lost was a customer.
When I walked in the store initially and spoke to the first clerk and explained my situation the clerk actually said "I'll go ahead and call my manager but I am going to warn you that BAM has the worst return policy I have ever heard of and BTW my manager isn't exactly nice to work with." THE CLERK WAS RIGHT!
When the manager arrived, to plea her case she tried to compare BAM to Target. She claimed that BAM and Target had the same return policy. That is not true. With no receipt Target would let me return an item. Granted I would get a credit for what the current price is but that is understandable.
Now I am sitting here with $60.00 in DVD's new in the box with books a millions name all over it that I have no use for and I can't even swap out because I don't have a receipt. I would never purchase any gift from this establishment for risk that the recipient could be in the same predicament as me. BAM has too much competition to have a faulty return policy.

I am a frequent customer of BAM - I enjoy sitting for hours, working on research and homework, while enjoying a Soy Caramel Frappe. Yesterday, I went in, ordered, PAID in advance (as usual) and then took my seat to set up for the work I would be doing. After a few minutes, the young barista gets my attention, and tells me that they are out of soy, and asks if I would like a regular frappe. I say no, I'm lactose intolerant, so it's soy or nothing. I was patient, and she offered to go find some in the back. I wasn't in a hurry, or dying of thirst, so I wasn't concerned. A while later she comes back and says that they don't have any at all -she also said something about them being short a manager. I said 'okay' and waited for her too suggest a solution - she asked if I would like a refund. I said yes. However, I didn't have the receipt - I have a habit of throwing them away when I get a napkin and straw on the way back to my table after ordering. It's never been a problem before now. Awhile later, a very pushy employee comes up and fires off questions almost quicker than I can answer, and says she'll put the amount of a gift card for me - I didn't see the point in that, so I just asked could they make me something else, non-coffee? She said yes, and asked what I wanted, repeatedly, obviously trying to hurry me along and get back to what she was doing. I said how about a smoothie? She yells a the barista 'make a smoothie!' and then proceeds to tell me all about how she's staying late because there are no managers in the store and someone has to be here to do returns - I didn't get the point nor did I appreciate her complaining to me about it. The poor barista already had 2 other orders going, but she asked what I wanted - trying to make it easy on her I said strawberry and sat back down. She brought it to me pretty quick, but I couldn't drink it - I remembered too late that I don't get smoothies here because they taste like pure syrup and aren't fresh at all. Awhile later I went and bout an apple juice to stave off my thirst, and the barista promised to talk to the manager that just showed up about getting me a refund. I left an hour later, having payed $7 for a $2 drink and a very unsatisfying experience.